Traveling Home

I can’t believe it’s almost 2013! We have been in Calgary, away from our home that has not sold, living with Robs parents (slight cringe) for almost 6 months now. It seems a lot longer and not because we living with Robs parents either. It seems a lot longer because of the changes that have happened to us because of our new home as people and as a family.The biggest change in our outside world is, of course, how we are living communally. The Strange thing is I am happier than I have ever been. Which brings me to the changes that have come about in me, partly, because of living as an extended family. I have enjoyed being a very private person, fiercely controlling of my environment until 6 months ago.

I knew when we decided to move to Calgary to grow our home business despite our house not selling we would need support from our family to help our dream continue to move forward. They were there for us, as always, I love them very much and know this is a big sacrifice for them as well. A sacrifice of space, privacy, preferred routine to name the obvious things not to mention all the little subtle things. We are lucky to have a supportive family. Living like this has helped me grow in ways I know will help us when we are on the road.

Living with less privacy, less space, around different habits and food choices have been a challenge for all of us. Even though we are all family we are two separate families, who live very differently when we are apart. Living like this was my biggest hesitation about leaving our home in Cranbrook.

Today I am so glad that hesitation didn’t hold us back. I have a better knowledge of how I will feel on the road when accommodations are uncomfortable, the food is not what would be my first choice, the environment is one I can’t control. This lesson is invaluable, comforting even. Comforting because I have a basic knowledge of how to deal with any anxiety that arises from a lack of environmental control.

Another change personally is I look at everything differently in this city I grew up in. I appreciate her more, see beauty where I didn’t before. When we lived here we were so busy with our jobs, getting from A to B, keeping up with whoever and everything. I took this city and all of her surrounding mountainous glory for granted.

I realize there is a lot that is new here in Calgary since we left 8 years ago so that adds to the admiration I feel. We really are living like we are traveling already. My mindset has already switched to travel mode when it comes to really looking at a view and feeling awed by what I see. Living in close quarters has helped me stop being a home body. Now I recognize and seek out different things to see and do around town. Doing this ignites a passion in me, the passion I feel when we visit a country we’ve never been to before, that drives me to get out and explore.
The most profound impact on our family has been the time we have to be together. Quality time, having more of it to be together and to see and explore different places and try new things. Everyone in the family has gained from this time together. Makai has had so many adventures with his Grandma and learned so much about his Auntie. He is closer to them.

This impact is the entire reason for our travel dream, the entire reason the plan was hatched. I feel a sense of peace having so much less materially. It is actually a relief. Ultimately I have come to the realization that it is true, home is where the heart is. We don’t need all the ‘stuff’ I once thought we did to make a home. What we need is quality time and new experiences together where ever to grow with our son and find some of that travel passion that drives us to go explore then be glad to come home, where ever in the world home may be.

Great day at Confederation Park, Calgary, fall of 2012.

Take a look at some other posts from traveling families on the topic of “Home”.

About Tracey

Hello. I am glad you’re here! I’m Tracey, a freelance writer who sold everything to travel the world with my Husband and our young Son. We live with less, believing travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. I love to write and share our experiences to inspire others to travel more and live the life they dream.

Comments

what a joy to read of your process. we lived out of my mother’s garage for a while, and we, too,loved our time in ‘the loft’. crammed together, all together in one tiny space and holding our breath for the dream to begin. good for you. i’d love it if you can add my link in, so that i can share also my reflections of home. thank you! http://thenomadicfamily.com/2012/12/i-hate-this-home-and-that-one-and-this-one-coco-bungalows/ i can’t wait to keep reading your insights and reflections as you continue to take steps towards that which your soul whispers to you.

Hi Gabi. Families like yours are such an inspiration to us. Reading about situations now similar to ours before we began our adventure reassured us that any sacrifice or discomfort we would experience would be worth it. Thank you for sharing your adventure.

Hey Tracey – you have such a great name! lol. Glad you’ve discovered you need less “stuff” to be happy. Don’t you think it’s odd that it takes us moving away from our comfort zones to work that out? Something I was also surprised to discover. Great post – can’t wait to hear how you go on the road!

Hey Tracey! You to have a great name:) I am absolutely amazed how my feelings and perspective changed so much since leaving our comfort zone! Maybe it is having fewer physical distractions so you can really focus on the important things. Whatever the cause of the change I am so thankful for the experience.

Thank you Rachel! We are really focused on living deliberately every day. I can not believe the happiness and contentment I am feeling these days, even with the stress I feel about our house not selling. Taking steps to make our dream a reality, big or small, easy or difficult feels so good.

Hi Tracey and Rob – I had no idea that you were fellow Calgarians! We moved away a couple of years ago, and spent a bit of time in BC, and just left at the beginning of the month for an open ended trip (starting in Mexico). I love what you say about learning to be happy and comfortable, even in a strange (and sometimes not idea) environment. I’m always impressed with how little we really need to make us happy on the road!

Hi Micki, Great to hear from a fellow Calgarian! I so look forward to the challenges that we will face when we are in South America. I am sure I will feel amazed by the little we will need to be happy and comfortable when traveling!

What a great post! For very different reasons, we too have learned, over the last 1 1/2 years, that we really don’t need so much “stuff.” Been there, done that. We live in a 1 bedroom apartment attached to our B&B and when our friends see the space in which we live, they always ask us, “Are you comfortable in such a small space?” We always answer, “Yes!” It has been an exercise in realizing what really matters, such as family photo albums and the rest of it is just stuff. What it has taught us is we now know we can live very simply and in a relatively small space, which is exactly how we plan to travel once we retire. Thanks for sharing and good luck with the sale of your home.

Thanks Patti! We need all the luck we can get to get that house sold. I can totally relate to your self discovery on learning to live in smaller spaces and with less stuff. I really was surprised and relieved to be honest, how good we all feel about our close quarters. We appreciate more, take less for granted. Experiencing this has galvanized my desire to get on the road and eliminated a lot of the concerns I had about leaving ‘home’.

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About Us

Hi! We're Rob, Tracey and Makai, a Canadian family who has been traveling nomadically since April 2014. Our passion is sharing what we learn about the places we visit and the challenges and rewards of living an unconventional family life. Join us on our journey! We hope our stories inspire you to travel more and strive to live life on your terms.